Sideoats grama
Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) is a mid-height warm-season bunchgrass named for the oat-like seed spikes that hang along one side of its stem. It establishes faster than big bluestem, thrives on thin and droughty ground, and is a staple of CP2, CP25 short-grass, and CP42 dry pollinator mixes across the Plains.
Why landowners plant sideoats grama
- Handles rocky, shallow, and calcareous soils where taller grasses thin out.
- Fast establishment provides early erosion control on slopes and terraces.
- Short stature leaves light for forbs — one of the best grasses to pair with pollinator mixes.
- Larval host for several skipper butterflies and high-quality grazing forage.
Site fit
Use sideoats grama on dry uplands, thin ridgetops, road banks, terraces, and any site where big bluestem would be too aggressive or too tall. It is a core species in western and southern CRP mixes and in CP42 pollinator plantings where a low, non-competitive grass matrix is required.
Establishment
Seed is moderately chaffy but drills reasonably well at 1/4 inch deep. Germination is quick in warm soil. Spring seeding works well in the southern Plains; dormant seeding is preferred farther north.
Management
Tolerates burning, mowing, and grazing well. Burn on a 3–5 year rotation. Avoid heavy continuous grazing during the first two growing seasons.
CRP practice fit
Standard mid-grass component of native grass plantings on dry sites.
Core grass in short-grass and mixed-grass CP25 blends.
Preferred low-competition grass matrix for dry pollinator habitat.
Featured mixes with sideoats grama
Pairs well with
Little bluestem · Blue grama · Purple prairie clover · Black-eyed Susan
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Its short stature and open bunch form leave sunlight and space for forbs, so it competes far less than big bluestem or switchgrass. Most CP42 dry pollinator mixes use sideoats grama as the primary grass at 1–2 PLS pounds per acre.
Faster than most native warm-season grasses. Expect visible seedlings within three weeks of warm-soil germination and a functional stand by the end of year two, roughly a season ahead of big bluestem.